Current National Association of Clinical Biochemistry recommendations for the appropriate use of tumour markers
| Tumour marker | Cancer | Screening | Diagnosis/case finding | Prognosis | Detecting recurrence | Monitoring treatment |
| α-Fetoprotein | Germ cell/testicular tumour | No | Yes* | Yes* | Yes* | Yes* |
| Hepatocellular carcinoma | Yes† | Yes‡ | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| CA125 | Ovarian cancer | Under review§ | Yes¶ | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| CA15-3 | Breast cancer | No | No | No | Yes | Yes** |
| CA19-9 | Pancreatic cancer | No | Yes‡ | Yes | Yes | Yes‡ |
| Carcinoembryonic antigen | Colorectal cancer | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Prostate-specific antigen | Prostate cancer | No†† | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Adapted from Sturgeon et al.4
↵* In association with human chorionic gonadotrophin and lactate dehydrogenase.
↵† Only for individuals in high-risk groups—for example, patients with Hepatitis B and C and cirrhosis.
↵‡ In combination with other diagnostic procedures.
↵§ UK Collaborative Trial of Ovarian Cancer Screening.
↵¶ For the differential diagnosis of pelvic mass in postmenopausal women.
↵** Carcinoembryonic antigen may also be useful in patients with non-evaluable disease.
↵†† Although the National Association of Clinical Biochemistry does not currently recommend prostate-specific antigen for screening, owing to the informed choice Prostate Caner Risk Management Programme the requests received by GPs were deemed appropriate.7